The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God, Part 2 · Subpart (3 of 3)

The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God · Part 2 · Subpart (3 of 3)

p. 4884, The last Evil in the Corruption of Death is the decay, which is a Tendency to a Nothingness, a Privation, the destruction of the being of things, or to a contrariety to all good in Being. This is that dark Cave, that bottomless Pit, out of which, like the smoak of Hell, like gastly, black, and flaming apparitions from Hell, the deepest, and darkest Melancholy, the most dismal Horrours, and the most horrid Imaginations from the sense, and fear of Death issue forth, and cover the face of the Soul, as pitchy, and stormy Clouds cover the Face of Heaven. How does the dying Soul dread to be cast forth into the uttermost Darkness to be dispossest of itself together with all thigns? To be endlessly sinking in an abyss, or bottomless deep of a vast emptiness, and a cheerless, formless shade? to be no more? or to be in the midst of all the wounds, and torments that Being is capable of? to be consuming so, as ever to wish it as the only medicine of ones evil, and ever to fear it, as the greatest of all Evils, as the most incomprehensible Evil, to be no more?

How sweet, and delightful was the Triumph of our Lord Jesus over this Monster, which stands with so grim, and frightful a look in the Gate of Death? O Corruption! O Decay! O Destructions! where is your Victory? Jesus Christ comes into the empty, and obscure shades of Death with the fulness p. 489of the Godhead with all the Lights of the Divine Nature, of Angelical, and created Glories, of Heaven, and Eternity, with their full splendours shining together all at once in the Unity of his Divine Person. This Person, which is the Fulness, that filleth all in all, which is the Brightness that shineth eternally in the Divine Essence, now filleth the whole space o… Death, now enlighteneth it thorough-out, now becometh the stage, and Scene of Death, supporting it on his delicious Bosom, bounding it with his bright, and blissful Beams. Where is the emptiness, where is the shade, where is the bottomless Pit of Dread, & decay in Death? They are all swallowed up into shining, full, & substantial Glorys in this Triumph of our Saviour over Death. These are the Evils of Corruption in Death, over which Christ triumphs.

See row the height of this Triumph. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see Corruption. Jesus Christ passeth so triumphantly through the Regions of Death▪ that Corruption loseth not onelyonly its force, but its appearance … his presence. Jesus Christ seeks for the place of Corruption, and finds it no more. Thou, O God, wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see Corruption. The God-head itself, the Divine Person of Christ, the Divine Nature inseparable from that Person goes before the Lord Jesus, as a Guide, when he passeth through this waste Wilderness. It cometh behind him, as a Rearward of Glory. It encompasseth him on every side with its highest Brightnesses, and Blessednesses. It suffereth him to see nothing but Itself on every side of him. The living, & shining Glorys of his God-head are Light, and Eyes to his dead Body in the Grave. With these, and with these alone his Divine Person now looketh forth thorough his Body in the Grave, thorough the Grave, to the utmost bounds of the Regions of Death. In this Light, to these Eyes all things near at hand, and afar off throughout, are a shining Prospect of Living Beauties to Eternity. This Divine Light, and these Divine Eyes are a Divine Flame, which in a moment, in the twinkling of an Eye break up all Shades of obscurity, fill all space with their own Brightnesses, transform all Shapes even Corruption, and Death into the same Divine Forms with themselves to the utmost bound of things. Thus God suffereth not his Holy One to see Corruption.

2. The second part is the manner of the Triumph: the Triumph of Life is expressed in those words; Thou shalt sh…w me the Path of Life. There are here two remarkable Triumphs over Death, 1 Life in Death; 2. The sight, and Triumphant sense of this Life.

1. Life in Death is declared by the Path of Life, which is made for the Lord Jesus thorough Death. Noah with his dear Relations, and all kinds of Creatures kept dry, and safe in the Ark, while the fountains of the great Deep were broken up from below, and the windows of heaven were opened from above to cover all things with a Flood of Waters; the Children of Israel in the Land of Goshen, wh…re there was Light, and Rivers of Water, while darkness was upon the whole Land of Egypt, and the Rivers in it were turned into p. 490Blood; the Children of Israel passing in a dry path thorough the Red Sea, which overwhelmed the E…yptian King with his whole Army; the Three Children with the similitude of the son of God walking in the midst of the fiery furnace, which burnt their bands only, and devoured their enemies, which cast them in, all these were Figures of Jesus Christ passing in a Path of life thorow Death. The Lord Jesus himself in his Heavenly, & divine form, as he is the Essential Image of his Father is his own Way, and Life thorough Death. This is the Fountain of Life, and Eternity itself. This hath all Lives bound up in one, like those innumerable Beams, which pour forth themselves through all things in Heaven, and on Earth, united in the sun. Here Life riseth up in its greatest Fulness, in its freshest, purest, and sweetest Streams, where all the strengths, Beauties, and Joys of Life are at their greatest heighth. Thus the Godhead in its Essential Image stands in every part, and point of the Humane Nature of Christ dying, or dead. Thus it stands in every step, and point of its Way through Death. Thus it makes it all, as a Fountain and F…ood of Life. As the Milky way in Heaven, where innumerable Stars mingle their Beams into one Path of Light: Such is the Way of Christ in Death, which is all a mixture, or contexture of the innumerable Beauties, and sweetnesses of Life rising up fresh from the innumerable springs of Life in the Bosom of this Heavenly Image, which is Eternity, and the Divine Essence it self in its own substantial Form.

2. The Triumphant sight, and sense of Life accompanys the Lord Jesus in this Path of Life thorow Death; as is signified by those words, Thou … shew me, or make me to know the Path of Life. As a Princely Bridegroom leading his Royal Bride in his hand thorough delightful walks, when the spring is in its prime, makes her to observe all the delights in the Walks, saying to her; see, how pleasantly all things look; how sweetly Heaven and Earth smile one upon another; how lovely the leaves, and blossoms are upon the Trees, the grass, and the Flowers upon the ground; how pleasantly the birds sing in every bush; how pure, and sweet the air; is how … the year is now: Thus God the Father leads Jesus Christ; thus the Divine Nature in the brightness of its Glory leads the Humane Nature thorough the Pa…h of Life in Death, as a heavenly Bridegroom its dearest Bride. He lo…k forth upon him with a flaming eye of Love, he saith to him; behold a new and large prospect of Divine Lights, and all the Beauties of Life in Death; with what spicy sweetness, and immortal perfumes the Spirit of Life, and Love, as the Air of Paradise, and Heaven itself breaths upon all things here … do Heaven, and Earth, the uncreated and the created Image of things reflect the same Beauties, and sweetnesses one upon another, like the Living Face, and the Face in a Chrystal Mirrou…? How do all glories in their lovelyest Forms, & richest Varieties, looking down from above, sprouting forth, and blossoming from beneath, meet and kiss each other? How do Angels, how do Immortal, and shining Spirits spring, and sing every where? How doth the Shade of Death p. 491itself, mingling itself with all these, surrounding this Divine Light, & at the same time surrounded by it, give a solemn sweetning, and heightning to all, like the Base string to the Musick of a Lute, making Death it self another Heaven distinct from the Heaven after Death, and contending with it for delightfulness? Thus God the Father maketh Christ to see the Path of Light in Death.

3. The third part in the manner of the Triumph, the Pleasure; In thy presence are all pleasantnesses, and at thy right hand Pleasures for evermore.

Three pleas…n things are here presented in one: 1. The Seat of Pleasure: 2. The Perfection; 3. The Perpetuity of Pleasures.

1. The Seat of Pleasure is the Presence, and right hand of God. The Presence in Hebrew is the Face of God. The Son of God, The Eternal Word. The Essential Form of God, and the Brightness of his Glory, is the Face of God. Behold thou art fair, my beloved, yea thou art Pleasant, our Bed is green; saith the spouse in the Can…cles to Jesus Christ. He is that Eternal Form, and naked face of the Godhead where all the Pleasantnesses of the purest Beauties, Loves, and Joys, first spring, flourish and seat themselves. His Cheeks therefore in the same Book are said to be the Gardenbeds of the most fragrant Spices, and persumed Flowers, where the highest Beauties, and the highest sweetnesses are born, and married one to another, and bring forth an endless race of Loves, and Delights. This Face of God, in which all Loveliness, and Loves thus shine, and flame together is also set with so many eyes, which continually behold, and rejoyce in their own Beauties and Pleasantnesses. This Face, this Form of God is the Person, which subsists in the Human Nature of Christ both Soul & Body, which in itself gives a subsistance to the whole Humanity of Christ living, and dying. Thus is it in the Grave and in the dead Body of Christ, the seat of all Pleasantnesses, the Throne of divine Beauty, & of Love in Death. It is also as a thousand never sleeping, never s…umbring eyes, in this blessed Body, with which it uninterruptedly contemplates in it self this Eternal face, and Form of God, this seat of Pleasantnesses, which is its own Person, its own self in its personal Unity, and subsistence.

The right hand of God is the Godhead in the strength, at the heighth of Love, Power Majesty, and Glory, as it is above all heavens. Here are Pleasures in their proper fear, in their greatest force, and fulness, as they transcend the joys themselves of all created Heavens. At this right hand of God is Jesus in the Grave. By this right hand of God, which hath all pleasures ever attending it, was he pleasantly led thorough the Shadow of Death: In the Bed of Death this right hand of the most High embraced him, that he might sweetly rest there in the midst of all the Pleasures of this Right Hand of his.

2. The Perfection of Pleasures is exprest by these two names of Pleasantnesses, and Pleasures. Pleasantnesses are the Objects of delight, or Pleasures in the object. Pleasures are the Delights themselves in the fruition, and enjoyment of those objects, or Pleasures in their Subject. The Subject, and the Object p. 492uniting, and mingling, and transforming themselves variously by their various mixtures in their union into one mutual life, and Form of Beauty, and Love, make Pleasure, and delight. You have here all Pleasantnesses in the Face of God, and so all Pleasures at the Right Hand of God.

The Lord Jesus dying, and in death beholds the Face of God. In this Face he at once beholds all pleasant forms and Forms of Pleasantness, the pleasantness of all Forms among Men, & Angels in their first & highest Patterns, to which the most Glorious spectacles, and spirits of Men, or Angels, are obscure Shadows and faint imitations. In this face he beholdeth pleasant Forms, incomprehensible for variety, and Glory, which never cast any the least shadow of themselves, nor were capable of being in the least degree imitated in the highest of created excellencies. Death itself is a divine Marriage-bed, in which Jesus Ch…ist receives all these pleasant Forms into his Bosom, as Lights of Glory shining thick thorow the Cristal Temple of his pure, and sacred Body in this Night of his Divine Death. He be…reth in his dead Body the impressions, and Figures of them all with the Heavenly substances themselves in these Impressions, and Figures like a seal of Gold fixed on Virgin-wax; his dying, and dead Body is transformed into one Life, and Form with those Original Forms of Pleasantnesses, being embraced by them, as by a Divine flame, which makes it one pure flame of Pleasantness, and Pleasure with itself.

3. The Perpetuity of the Pleasure; At thy right hand are Pleasures for evermore. Two things are here signified. 1. The continuation of Pleasures in the Person of Christ without any interruption: 2. The endlesness of those Pleasures. Jesus Christ saith to his Father in one Place, thou leadest me by thy right hand. The Lord Jesus was ever led by the right hand of the Father out of Heaven into the Virgins Womb, out of the Womb into the gloomy Light of this World, thorow this World, thorow Death, and the Grave into Heaven again. Thus was this blessed Person ever at the right hand of his Father, that is, at the right ha…d a…d Fountain of Power, Majesty, Love, Life, and Pleasures, in the Womb, on the earth, on the Cross, in the Grave. So was the Path of this righteous o…e a shining Light of divine Pleasures uni…terrupted thorow all these thick shades of the black… darkness.

There is one thing more in the duration of Christs Pleasures signified in the last Verse of this Psalm above all this. The Lord saith to his Father, all Pleasa…sses are in thy Face. Behold here in one undivided point the full circle of Eternity, and that an Eternity of Pleasures; The Face of God with all Pleasant…esses in it. Eternity implyes three things; 1. the Fulness of all Bei…g, 2. the utmost heighth of being; 3. the undividedness. In this Time falls below Eternity, that it is a contracted, successive Shadow.

The Face of God, which is his Essential Image, and substantial Form, the God Head itself in the second Person in the Trinity, which is our Lord Jesus, is this Eternity. This is that Person, which was Man, was Flesh, hung on p. 493the Cross, and lay dead in the Grave. No more could the Lord Jesus be separated from the Face of his Father in any part of his Soul, or Body in any season, either of Life, or of Death, than a person can be separated from itself, or the Lord Jesus be divided from the Second Person in the Trinity. Thorow every state, thorow the most cloudy days, and the most tempestuous Nights the Face of God, the Son of Eternity went along with the … Jesus shining upon every Cloud, a…d Storm, shining thorough all, g…ding all with the Joys, and Glories of Heaven itself. In this Face, as in the undivided Circle of Eternity always, at once, in every moment, and cast of his eye he saw, possest, and enjoyed all pleasantnesses. In this Face of his Father, which is the Light of Eternity, he saw his own Face as he passed thorow all changes: Even then when he cried out, that he was forsaken by his Father, he beheld this forsaking of him, himself thus forsaken in this Glass the face of his Father in the midst of all Pleasantnesses, one of the Pleasantnesses, one with all the Pleasantnesses there. The A…gels that take care of Children here below in the midst of this their work on Earth, ever behold the Face of the Father in Heaven. How much more is it true of that Person who is the Face of the Father, who is one Essence and Substance with the Father, who unites the Humane Nature, to the Divine Nature in the Unity of this Person? Shall not he much more see the face of his Father in Heaven, while he is on Earth, or in the Grave, serving the little Children of his Father, his younger Brethren, as their good Angel? This Face, in which all Pleasantnesses are at their fulness, at their heighth, was that Joy set before Jesus Christ upon the Cross, for which he en…ured the Cross, and despised the shame.

I shall now conclude this discourse of our dying, and dead Saviour, of his sacred Body living, and immortal in Death with those four thi…gs which were too wonderful for Solomon; the way of a Ship upon the Sea; of an E…gle in the Air; of a Serpent upon a sto…e, or a rock; of a man with a maid, or, as it is in Hebrew, in a maid. The most learned Jews teach us to understand this, as the Myst…ry of the Messiah. The most learned of the Christian Divines give us such a Gloss as this upon it, while they make this place from the authority o… the Jews themselves to prove against them, that the Messiah was to be born of a Virgin. 1. The Man in the Maid is the Heavenly Man in Womb of the Virgin. 2. The Ship upon the Sea is the Humane Nature in its Union with the Divine Nature, Sailing along in its course of time, and life here below upon the Sea of Eternity. 3. The serpent upon the S…o…e or the Rock, is the deep, and Glorious wonder of Death in the Person of Christ, who is the Rock o… Eternal Life, and God himself, who lives for ever. 4. The Eagle in the Air is the Humane Nature risen, and ascending in the Spirit to the right hand of the father above all Heaven to the utmost heighths of all Joys, and Glories of the Divine Nature, and Eternity.

p. 494Before I leave this Subject, I will point out one Use and Application of it. When a Voice came with Thunder to the Lord Jesus, declaring Love and Glory from on high upon him; Jesus Christ saith to his Disciples, T…is Voice came not for my sake, but for yours. In like manner these glorious things are spoken of Christ in his life, and in his death, not for himself only, but for all his Saints. Christ, and all the Saints, are one seed. To that one seed, to all the Saints in Christ, to Christ in himself, and in all his Saints, are all the Promises made.

All those pleasant things which we have spoken of Jesus Christ, and of his holy Body, in Death, are true of him, as his Humane Nature is joyned to the Divine Nature in one Divine and Eternal Person, which is the most High God. The same things are true in us also, who believe in him, by that Mystical Union, which joyneth us to the Lord Jesus in one mystical Person and in the Unity of that Spirit, which is also the most high God, one with the Father, and the Son.

While we live, as Saints by the Faith of the Lord Jesus, we live not, but Christ liveth in us, we live, and we are Spiritual only, as we are Spirits, the Birth of the Eternal Spirit, and one Spirit with the Lord Jesus in his Resurrection from the Dead: All things in Heaven and on Earth, of Soul, and of Body, of Life, and of Death are Spirit, and Life to us.

It is true, that while we live on Earth, a fleshly Spirit, a fleshly Image, in which Satan hath his Throne, have a part in us, not as our true selves, but as our disguises, our diseases, our enemy, as evil Dreams in our sleep. These of…n prevail over the Spiritual Man in us, and captivate us to many sinful Lusts, fears, and Griefs. But still the Spiritual man in itself, which is our true self, puts them under its feet, and makes them Captives to the Light, Love, and Immortality of the Spirit. The Spirit in us is like the Sua, which, when we think it under a Cloud, or eclipsed by the Moon, is so only to our Earthly Light, but in truth, and to itself it is upon its own Throne of Light triumphantly above the Clouds, and the Moon, comprehending them in the brightness of its own Glory.

But besides this, in the moment of Death this fleshly Spirit, and Image is for ever cast out of all power, and rule in a Saint, and is entirely subdued to that pure, and Heavenly Spirit, which is the true Saint, which now with…t any interposing vail or interrupting interval perpetually sees the glorious Face of Jesus Christ in it self, which is one Spirit with him, and the Glorious Face of the Father in Jesus Christ.

Yea one advantage of unexpressible Joy, and Glory hath the death of a … of Christ. The Death of Christ had all the stings of … cr…ture …ver felt, or can feel, the guilt of Sin, … Wrath of the Father; all the Powers of Hell in … these stings are taken out of the death of a p. 495Saint. Christ is risen, all the Powers of evil subdued, captivated, and changed into mysteries of eternal Light, and Love in the Glorified Person of Christ, by the Virtue of his Resurrection. A Believer living, and dying stands in the Resurrection of Christ, is risen with him, in him. A Believer is married to Christ as he is risen from the Dead. His Life, his Death thoroughout all things of them both, are Divine Fruits of this marriage-bed, brought forth in the Bosom of God, to God.

Break forth then, O ye Saints, into singing, both living, and dying, tune your last breath to this song of the Lamb, and say like him; I have set my glorified Jesus, my Heavenly Bridegroom and the Father in him before me. My glorified Jesus, my Heavenly Bridegroom, and the Father in him is at my right hand; therefore shall I not be greatly moved. Therefore doth my Soul rejoyce in Death, my Body also sweetly rests in the Grave, as in a Marriagebed, in the midst of all Divine delights, as Flowers of Paradise strewed upon it. It rests in the Bosom of my glorified Jesus my hope. This sweet, and sure hope is he, that will never leave my Soul in the state of Death; nor suffer his Holy One, his spouse, this Soul, or this Body, which he hath spoused, as chast Virgins to himself, to see Corruption. No, no; my Bride-groom, with all his Lights of Glory, and the Father of lights in him, will accompany this Darling-Soul, and Darling-Body, his pair of Doves, which are to him as his two eyes, through Death, and the Grave. There will he, filling all things round about me with his shining Beauties, make me to see the Path of Life, & Immortality, all composed of innumerable Angels of Glory, or the innumerable Glories of the Godhead, as the Milky way in Heaven is said to be composed with innumerable Stars thick set. Thorow all the shades of Death shall I behold all pleasantnesses in his Face shining forth upon me with a fresh Glory, as a new Sun turning those Shades into a flowry, and perfumed Arbour in the Heavenly Paradise, I shall be continually at his right hand, where pleasures are for evermore without mixture, interruption, or end. Thus is his right hand, which is the heighth and Fountain of Life, and Pleasures, the beginning of my Life, my strength, and guide in my way, my end in Death.

We have finished the answers to the objection against the Immortality and Glory of the Body of a Saint together with the Soul in Death, which was taken from the Body itself, and strengthened by the particular consideration of the Body of Christ in Death, and in the Grave. We have finished the distinction between the two Bod…es, the Body of Death in a Saint, and the proper Body of a Saint, which is an ins…parable Member in the Spiritual, and Heavenly Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Ghost, as the Soul is.

We come now to the last objection, taken from the resurrection of the Body at the last day, which seems to be without any sense, if our Bodies become Glorious and Immortal at our Death.

p. 496This Objection is answered by the distinction of three eminent steps, or degrees in the resurrection from the Dead. I shall take my ground, upon which I shall build this answer, and distinction from St. John Chap. 11. v. 25. these are the words of our Lord Jesus in that place; I am the Resurrection, and the Life. He, that lives, and believes in me, shall never die. He that beli…ves in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. The Lord Jesus is here comforting Martha mourning over her dead Brother: He propounds to her the comfort, and Joy of his Resurrection. Thy Brother, saith he, shall rise again. That, which would have been a present, and powerful Joy looked upon with a Spiritual eye in a Light of Glory, becomes to Martha a faint, and far distant Joy, while she looks upon the Resurrection a great way off, at the end of the World. So she answereth the Lord Jesus: Yea, Lord I know, that my Brother shall rise again at the last Day. The Lord Jesus scattereth this Cloud of Flesh by shining out upon Martha in the Brightness and Glory of his Heavenly, and Divine Person, as that Invisible and Eternal Sun, which is at once the Fountain, and Treasury of all Lights, Lives, and Forms of things in a state of Perfection, and unchangeableness. The Lord, as he shineth out upon her annointeth the eyes of her mind with his Spirit, and the Light of his appearance, to see him, as he is in the fulness of Glory, as the fulness of the Glory of God, and of all things dwelleth in him, as he is the same, and all things in him are the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. I, saith he, am the Resurre…tion and the Life. The latter of these is the cause, and demonstration of the former. It will not seem strange to him, who seeth the Lord Jesus to be the Life of all things, & all things in their most exact distinction to be living perfectly, and Ete…nally in him, in the vast, and unbounded Circle of the Unity of his Person, and Spirit, as in a secret Paradise, a Field of Light, and bliss above the Heavens, and yet invisibly present every where; that he should at his Pleasure bring forth things, which have disappeared here by Death, into new appearances, as Resurrections from the Dead, and present them again to our eye in the same Forme, in which they before conversed with them, not as P…antasms, or as empty Apparitions, but real, and Substantial. Thus to Martha inlightned by this Spiritual Vision of Christ, it was easie to understand, that Jesus Christ could give her Brother Lazarus again out of his Grave, living, into her Arms even at that present time.

Having thus cleared my ground for my ensuing discourse by the opening of the words, I procced to my distinction of a threefold eminent degree in the Resurrection from the D…ad.

1. The first eminent step, or degree in the Resurrection from the dead is Regeneration, which signifieth a new birth, a second birth, to be born again of God, after the Death of that Life which we receive from him by our first Generation, as Sons of God by the Creation.

2. The Second eminent step, or degree in the Resurrection from the Dead is the Natural Death.

p. 4973. The last eminent step, and degree is the Resurrection of the Dead at the last day.

1. I shall begin with the first of these, that the difference between these th…e Resurrections may more clearly appear. I shall lay it down in the form of a Doctrine.

Doct. Regeneration is a Resurrection from the Dead. St Paul clearly so expresseth it Eph. 5. v. 14. wherefore, he saith, Awake thou, that sleepest, and arise from the Dead, and Christ shall give thee Light. Behold three things here. 1. A Sleep. 2. The Awakening from this Sleep. 3. The cause of Awakening.

1. Here is a sleep; Thou that sleepest. Every man in his Natural state is a divine Spirit, an Immortal Soul, an Image of God, a Son of God in a deep Sleep. The Natural Sleep is defined to be a perfect ligation, or binding up of all the senses outward, or inward. But this is an unnatural Sleep, into which we are cast by the Enchantments, and Power of the Devil. It is the Sleep of Sin. O man, all thy senses and faculties, outward and inward, which were true, pure, and divine, in the Similitude of God, whilst they were awake, and at liberty, were continually feasted with divine Objects, they possessed, and enjoyed a Paradise in themselves. But how are they now fallen asleep, how are they bound up? Thou now no more seest, hearest, tastest, feelest, understandest, enjoyest any sweet beam of truth, any thing of the Harmonious Musick, of the delicate Relish, of the soft Embraces, of the immutable, all-satisfying Reality, and Substance of pure Love, pure Light, pure Beauty, pure Joy, pure Goodness, Every thing pleasant every thing Real, every thing Divine is to thee, as if it were not at all: Yet is not thy sleep quiet. All this, which thou seemest to thy self, to hear, to see, to understand, to converse with by any of thy senses, or faculties, is a Dream in thy sleep, a …delusive, a defiling, a melancholy Dream, where false, and filthy showes of Pleasures are mingled with tumultuous disquiets, confusions, torments fears, and Horrours.

This Sleep is the Sleep of Death, not a Natural, and momentany Death, which is a meer cessation of Life with a rest from all its troubles, but a living Death, the second Death, a Hellish Death, the Death of damned Sp…rits. Thus are Sleep and Death joyned here; Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the Dead. This Sleep is a true Death, and this Death is truely a Sleep, a living Death, or an unquiet Sleep full of evil Dreams.

2. The second thing is the Awakening. The Awakening out of this Sleep is also a Resurrection from the Dead. Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the Dead. This is the Regeneration, or new Birth, by which the soul is raised up from the Sleep, and Death of Sin into the Light of Life, and Immortality.

3. The third thing is the cause of this Awakening; And Christ shall give p. 498thee Light. And, here signifies, as much as, For, by a common Hebraism. Thus you are to read it, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the Dead, for Christ shall give thee Light. This will be plain, if you look to that Scripture, from which this is taken Isaia. 60. 1. v. Arise, sh…ne; for thy Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. St. Paul applies this to the Lord Jesus, and a Sinner in the work of Conversion, or Regeneration, Poor Sinner, thou sleepest in a dark and miry Dungeon, of Sensuality, Lust, Passion, Ignorance, Unbelief, Despair, like Peter sleeping in Prison, bound with two Souldiers on each side him: so thou sleepest in the dark Prison of the flesh, and this World, in the midst of Devils, with whom thou art chained, and bound. Thou liest dead in this dead Image of things, as in a Grave of Corruption, and Rottenness. Behold the Lord Jesus full of the Beauties of Holiness, full of the unsearchable Riches of Divine Love shineth upon thee with a Light of Glory. He, who is the Light and Glory of God, of Heaven, of Eternity, as he shineth upon thee, giveth thee Light, infuseth this Light of Glory into thee, by giving himself to thee, by infusing himself into thee, by springing up himself within thee, as he shineth from without upon thee. Thus he awakens thee. Thus awakened, stand up from the Dead. For Christ giveth thee Light.

The work of Regeneration, which is a true Resurrection from Death to Life, will be more clearly understood by considering it in these four Circumstances; 1. The Life, which is raised again; 2. The Death, out of which this Life is raised; 3. The Resurrection itself; 4. The way of this Resurrection.

1. The life which is raised again is twofold; 1. One Life is that of Paradise at the beginning of Time. We had an earthly head in Paradise, in whom we all stood, and subsisted together in the Garden of Eden, or of Divine Pleasures. There we were clothed with a Divine Image, and enjoyed a Divine Life. We were made in the similitude of God, and lived a life like to that of God himself. St. Paul speaks of this Life, Rom. 7. 9. v. For I was alive without the Law once. I know that this Scripture, is generally applied to the convincing, and the condemning Power of the Law. So St. Paul is understood here to speak of that Life of Pleasure, and satisfaction to his own deceived mind, and senses, which he enjoyed in sin before he felt the work of the Law upon his Heart convincing him of the Evil of Sin. But whoever well considers this Scripture will very plainly see, that it cannot bear this sense. For 1. The scope of this place is to shew that which is expressed at the 5th. Verse, That the Motions of Sin are by the Law which work in our Members to bring forth fruit unto Death. 2. The objection which is made at the 7th. verse, what shall we say then, is the Law sin? can have no ground in any other sense than this, that Sin itself takes life from the Law. 3. St. Paul expresly proceeds in his reasoning by these steps verse 8th, 9th. Sin taking p. 499occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. He proves that by this Argument; for without the Law sin was dead. The force of the connection makes it clear, that the death of sin here meant, is not the death in Sin with stupidity and security, but a Life free from the power and pollution of Sin. This is explained and illustrated by another Argument; For I was alive without the Law once. While all things stood in the s…plicity and unity of the Divine Image undivided, the Light, and the Darkness no where appearing as two, but as one in one Divine Spirit, in one Divine Harmony. There was nothing from which sin could take life. Now St. Paul lived, now as he, so we lived, and all Mankind, according to our several properties, and distinct Persons in Paradise, together with Adam & in Adam, who was the Earthly Head, and collective Body of us all, like Christ in Heaven.

2. The other Life, which is raised again in the Regeneration, is the Life of Heaven in Eternity. Before, and above our Earthly Head, we had a Head in Heaven, in Eternity, the Lord Jesus, in whose Image and Similitude Adam was Created to be a Figure of him. In this heavenly and eternal Head had we a Heavenly and Eternal Life. Our Heavenly Life in Eternity is as the Light. Our Earthly Life in Paradise as the Shadow to this Light. O thou, who art now as a Dunghil covered with, and composed of the most loathsom pollutions and defilements of Sin, who art withered in all thy Beauties, Hopes and Comforts; who art sunk deepest into despair; who art now no more a Man, but a Worm, the worst of Worms, the seed of the Serpent; See from whence thou art fallen, what once thou wert; what Lives, what Joys, what Glories lie buried in thee? Thou wert once a beautiful Prince, like the Morning Star: Thou wert once the Perfection of Beauty, and Pleasantness in the Figure, in Paradise, in Adam: Thou wert once the Perfection of Beauty in the Life itself, in Heaven, in Eternity, in the Lord Jesus. Whither are these Beauties now fled? How do these Beautiful Lives now lie as in the Grave covered with the Darkness of Death? The Psalmist saith to the Lord, That the Saints pity the Dust of Sion, and take Pleasure in the Stones thereof. O all you, who hear, and read this; In your selves, in each other see, pity, take Pleasure in the Ruins of the Divine Life, of the Divine Image, of Paradise, of Heaven with all their Beauties, Joys, and Glories. See the Lord Jesus from Heaven looking upon them with an eye of pity, and delight. Let this be a Beam of hope to you shining from his face into the midst of the Darkness of your Guilt, Defilements, and despair that by him these beautiful, and blessed Lives may rise again.

2. The Death out of which this Life is raised, is that of Sin, and of the Curse for Sin. Eph. 2. 1. v. St. Paul saith, we were dead in Sin. Hear, and read this, O man, with sighs, and tears, with trembling, and terrour. Thy Life it self is now a Death, and a cursed Death such a Death, as makes the difference between an Angel in Glory, and a Devil in Hell. The corruption of p. 500the best things is worst. The fall of the highest and greatest things makes the greatest, and most dreadful Ruine. The Divine Life is dead; the Divine Image is fallen in thee. Thou art dead in Sin. Sin lived, and I died, saith St. Paul in the forementioned place. A Life of Darkness, shame, Disorder, deformity, enmity, the Life and Image of Hell, and Devils are sprung up in thee, and are become a Grave of hate and horrour which hath swallowed up the Life, the Image of Love, Beauty, and Joy, of Heaven, of Angels, of God into a cursed Victory in thee. All the stings and terrours of the first death in the separation of the Soul, and Body, are all the secret burnings of this Hellish fire of the Death in Sin now quite consuming the broken Relicks of the Divine Light, and sweetness in the Flesh, and enlarging itself into the second Death, as into an eternal Flame of Wrath, and torment.

Look up, oh man! see this whole World of these Heavens, and this Earth, as a Charnel-house, or a dark Vault for the Dead. See thy self in this Body, as a melancholy Coffin in the midst of this Vault, where thine own Divine Life and Image, with ten thousand blessed Lives, the Life of Christ, of Paradise, of Heaven, lie dead and buried. See this place in which now thou art, the smoaky porch, and gloomy entrance into Hell, like a cloudy Evening to that dismal Night. See thy self walking here as a wretched Ghost and Shade in the midst of the Dead, in the midst of cursed Apparitions from below, and thy self together with all these, ready every moment to vanish into everlasting Darkness, and Flames. This is the Death, out of which the Divine Life is raised in the first Resurrection or the Regeneration.

3. The Resurrection of this Life, out of this Death, is to be declared in its first step, which is the Regeneration, or New-birth. The Divine Nature, which lies hid at the bottom, and in the center of the Soul, lives there to itself with its Heavenly, and Earthly Image, as in the Secret of its own twofold Paradise, whereof one was never yet revealed in any Creature until Christ; the other with drew itself hither from the sight of the Soul at the Fall. This Divine Nature, as to the Soul itself, whose Root it is, of whose Being it is the only Life, and Truth, lies slain by the Life of Sin, and buried in its own Ruines beneath the Darkness, and Confusion of the Corrupt, the Fleshly, and the Hellish Image.

This Divine Nature in the moment of Regeneration, or Conversion is new-born in the Soul, or, which is the same, the Soul is new-born into the Divine Nature, and comes forth with a new, and Divine Being, into a new, and Divine World.

This change is called a Birth, because the Divine Nature, as the Seed of God sown in the Soul, diffuseth itself thorough the Soul, changeth the Soul into one Nature, and Life with itself, so bringeth forth itself in the soul, and the Soul together with itself, in its own Divine Life, and Likeness.

The Eternal Spirit is the Father of this Birth, which sendeth forth this holy p. 501Seed. This Spirit is also the Mother. For in the naked Bosom of the Eternal Spirit, at once the Seed of God is sown in the soul, and the Soul is sown, as a new Seed sent forth immediately from God, wrapt up in the Seed of God▪ The Spirit also itself is this Seed. For so the Lord Jesus saith, John 3. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

This New birth is said to be from above; because it is immediately from God; the Birth of God, as he is in the Simplicity of his Godhead uncloathed of every Vail, infinitely transcending all created powers, and perfections. This Birth is expressed by being born again, as a second Birth. For man was first born unto a Divine Light, and Image in P…radise, where he a…so dyed to this Life, and Image, unto which he is now born a second time, That was a Shadow onelyonly: This the Shadow, and the Substance both in Union.

This Birth is also called a Resurrection, and is truely so upon this account. That same Divine Person, in his own proper, and individual Existency, which died in Paradise, which ever since hath lien slain, and buried in the corrupt, sinful Person sprung up in its place, as in a Grave, now riseth again. As it riseth, it casteth off this cursed, and Hellish person as a Body rising to Glory casteth off the form of a dead Carcass, of Rottenness, and dust, recovering, its own proper place, and right.

But there is a threefold difference, between this Divine Nature in its first Life in Paradise, and its first Resurrection in its Regeneration, or New-birth.

1. In Paradise the Divine Nature sprung up, and appeared in a Earthy Image and in an Earthy Person, only as in a lovely shadow of itself. The Heavenly Person, the Heavenly Image, although it were the Root, the Truth, the Life, the Fulness of this Shadow, yet it lay concealed beneath it, as a Vail, or as the Fruit lies hid in the Blossom. By Sin the Blossom falls to make way for this Fruit. In the new birth, out of the Ruins of the Earthy Person, and the Earthy Image, as the rending of the Vail, the Divine Nature springs up, and shines forth in its own Heavenly Person, and Image. Thus that which was sown by the Fall a Heavenly and Divine Shadow riseth again by the new birth a Heavenly, and Divine Substance, which is the Shadow in its Life, and Truth.

The Holy Scriptures declare this Glorious Mystery; 1 Epist. John 5. c. where we read, That there are three which bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, A little after we read, That he, who believeth hath the record in himself. If a Believer hath the Record within himself, he hath also within himself those who bear the Record. For a Record, or Testimony hath all its authority, and force from the Persons of the Witnesses, as it is given by them, and cometh forth out of their mouths. Behold then here in the moment of believing, God himself in the three Persons in their Heavenly Image, which is the Heaven of Heavens, bringing forth the Divine Nature, as their own proper Birth, and Child in an Heavenly Person, and in p. 502their own Heavenly Image, in which they themselves dwell together with him, giving their Testimony to him, in which he believes.

2. That which was the Beauty, and the beautiful Inhabitant of Paradise, was the Divine Nature in the Earthly Image, and in an Earthy Person, which stood singly in a shadowy Joy, and Glory. The Heavenly Person, and the Heavenly Image, which were the Life itself were hidden, and Vailed beneath this Shadow; like the Glory of a Flower in its seed beneath the Earth, when the Plant begins first to appear; or like the ripe fruit hid in the Blossom.

In the New birth that Divine Person, and Form, which died in the Shadow, riseth again in the blessed life, and most beautiful Truth of the Eternal Substance. As the Accorn, which was first an Oak, being sown in the Ground, and dying, springs up again into a fair, and flourishing tree. But there is this difference the Accorn is not the same Oak which at first it was, but only another of the same kind. But here the Shadow in its new birth riseth again in that Individual Person, and proper Essence of Glory, out of which it first descended. As Jesus Christ saith, I came forth from God into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. So Saith this new-born Child of God, I was before the World, with my Elder Brother in the bosom of the Father, I was with the Father in the bosom of my Elder Brother, one Spirit, one Heavenly Image, one Brightness of Glory together with him. I came forth from this Glory into a Shadowy similitude of it, into an Earthly Paradise. From thence I fell by sin into that Death which is my Life in this present evil World. Again through the Death of Christ by the Resurrection of the new Birth I leave both this living Death in the World, & that Shadowy Life of Paradise, & return to my first Glory with Jesus Christ in the bosom of the Father.

Moreover that Earthly Image, and shadowy Paradise are not lost. These also rise again in their Regeneration. They arise again the same Individuals, but in a far different Form, and in a far differing manner of subsisting. The Earthly man of the first Paradise is born anew, subsisting in the Person of the Heavenly Man, as the Humanity of Christ subsisted in his Divine, and Eternal Person. The Earthy Man springs up in the bosom of the Heavenly Man. It is no more now, as at the first, a vail on the Sun-like Face and Spiritual Beauties of the Heavenly Pattern, and Original. But it is to it, as the fr…shest Beams, and the most Flowry Light of the Sunshine is to the Sun. It Flows immediately from the naaked Form, and fulness of the Heavenly Glory, it, is transparent to it, filled and covered with it. The Earthly Paradise now flourisheth in the midst of the Heavenly Paradise, which shineth all through it, bringing it forth, as one Person, and one Spirit with itself.

This is the new Heaven, and the new Earth, the Heavenly Man, and the Heavenly Paradise newly, and nakedly discovered, so as it never before was in this Creation; The earthly man also, and the earthly Paradise, brought forth into a new state, and Glory by their Union, and fellowship with the p. 503Heavenly Man, and the Heavenly Paradise, as a Bride adorned by the presence of her Bridegroom coming forth like the Sun. Thus Jesus Christ makes all things new in the new Creature; and brings forth the new Creature together with himself in himself, as St. Paul speaks 2 Corin. c. 5. v. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature, or a new Creation. For behold, saith Christ, I make all things new.

This new birth, and Resurrection of the Heavenly, and earthly Glories united in one Person in a Saint is excellently represented in that forementioned place of St. John. 1. Epist. c. 5. v. Having said, There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit; he adds, There are three that bear record on Earth; and saith he, these three agree in one. The first three were one Heavenly Spirit, and Image. The last three agree in one Earthly Image with themselves, and in one Heavenly Spirit with the Heavenly Image and the Heavenly three. A Believer, as is before noted, is said to have the Record, or Testimony of these Witnesses in himself. He hath then also the Witnesses in himself; for these Witnesses testifying of themselves to the Soul are in their own unvailed persons, and Divine presence, the T…stimony, the Truth of the Testimony, the Authority, the Witnesses all in one.

The second Trinity of Witnesses is 1. the Water. 2. The Blood. 3. The Spirit.

1. The Water is the natural or Earthly Image washt as by a Baptism of Water from its filth, like a piece of Gold fallen into the dirt. The first Creation is exprest by Water. It was a pure, and clear Sea of finest Christal. The Face of God shining forth upon this Sea of Chrystal at once filled it with the sweet Light of his Beams, and figured his Beauties upon it, which Light and Figure, were the Light of Paradise, and the Life of the first man in it. Sin by a mixture of Earth with this pure Water pollut…th it, troubleth it, changeth the Light into Darkness, and the Beautiful Figure of the Divine Glory into Confusion. The clear, and sweet calm is now changed into a black and foul Tempest. The new birth separating the dark, & d…filing Earth from the clear, & pure Flood, gives a Resurrection to the Divine Light, the Divine Form, the Earthly man in its puriti…, and the first Paradise in its Beauties.

2. The Blood is the second Witness joyned together with the Water. This is the Earthly Image heightened with a more excellent washing than that of Water, which is this of the precious Blood of God himself. This Blood taketh away by the vertue of Christs Death the darkness of the vail, which interposeth between the naked Glories of the Heavenly Image, and the Earthly Image, keeping it in the state of a shadow only. Now this most precious Blood as a rich Flood of Divine Light, and Life breaks in freely, and fully upon the Earthly Image in its new birth, that it is no more the shadow to that Heavenly substance, but the face in the Glass answering to the living face of the supream, and Eternal Beauty. Thus the Earthly Man and p. 504the Earthly Paradise returneth, and riseth again in the Regeneration not by Water only, but by Blood, not as the shadowy Similitude of a concealed Beauty, but the shining brightness of a present, and unclouded Glory. This is the second Witness on Earth. The Spirit is the last of the three Witnesses in the Earthly Image. This giveth his Testimony joyntly in both Images, the Heavenly and the Earthly. This Spirit is the same in both; the Mother, which bringeth both forth from its own Eternal Womb; the Life, which dwells in both; the Glory, which fits, and cloaths them both; the Love which Eternally sports in both, which fills both with purest, & perpetual Pleasures in themselves, & in each other. This Spirit is that band of perfection, which by its Heavenly, & entire Unity maks the heavenly & the earthly Image both one Spirit, one Life, one Glory, one Divine Person, one new man in Christ Jesus, in whose bosom they lie, mutually infolding each other in most beautiful, and most delightful Embraces. Thus now is the Earthly man, and the Earthly Paradise risen again in the Regeneration, not single, but as a glorious Bride to the Heavenly Image, & the Heavenly Paradise, having her Bridegroom in her arms, and being clasped fast in his. This is the second difference between the Soul in its Earthly Paradise, and in the first Resurrection, when it is new born to a life of Grace in the place of that Life of pure nature.

3. You have seen two differences between the Life in the state of pure nature in Paradise, and the Resurrection of this Life unto a state of Grace in the Regeneration, or new birth. In these two differences this Life, as it is risen again excelleth itself, as it was in its pure, and primitive state for the kind, and nature of it, after a wonderful manner, by an accession of the most Heavenly, and highest Glory together with Immortality.

But this third difference will shew us this Life in the Resurrection as it is a Life of Grace for its present state and degrees on Earth far inferiour unto itself as it was pu…ely natural in the first Paradise.

1. The Life of Grace in the Regeneration, or Resurrection is imperfect in degree, while it is on Earth, it is in its Infancy, in its Childhood, under age, under Guardians, under the Tutorship of Angels, as St. Paul speaks. It is a Life of Faith, not of clear, and compleat Fruition. It is a dying Life, a Life bearing the Image of Christ's Death, and not yet brought forth entirely into the Resurrection from the Dead. It is a Life subject to many weaknesses by reason of its Infant-state, and Childhood. It is a Life in Growth, and so not arrived to its perfect Stature.

2. The Life of Grace in this first Resurrection is imperfect for its state. The Spiritual or Heavenly Man in a Believer is joyned in the same Person with the Old Man, which is cursed, and corrupt with the Child of the Curse, and Corruption. The Heavenly Image, and the Earthly Image new-born, Heaven itself, and the first Paradise risen again, are truly in a Saint on Earth, do compose the true Nature, Essence, and Person of a Saint. But there are p. 505joyned together with these in the same outward Person the Earthly Image, as it is corrupt, and the Hellish Image, the Earthly or fleshly Image, as it is fallen, and the Hellish Image, in which inseparably do reside the universal Corruption, and Curse, all the powers of Darkness, Death and Hell. Thus are all the Purities, Sweetnesses, Glories of Paradise or Heaven in a Saint mixed, and Vailed, that they can never appear intire or in their own proper Form, but imperfectly, darkly, and Enigmatically, as St Paul speaks, or, as those men, that were seen walking in the forms of Trees, by him, whose eyes Jesus Christ had touched the first time only. Thus the Spiritual Man in a Saint, though it have Heaven, and Paradise united in itself, yet in this first step of its resurrection, it hath within the same outward person a continual interchangeable War, and Fight with the Earth, and with Hell, the Flesh, and the Devil. Sometimes it is made a Captive cast into Chains of darkness laid low with all its Glories in a deep, and miery dungeon, where no spark of Divine Light appears; when it is a Conquerour it is in the field still where its sweetness, and Glory are vailed, and stained, as with the dust of the Earth, as with the smoke of the Fight and of Hell, as with the Blood of its Wounds. In the midst of these it is ever alarmed to new Fights. This is the state of a Saint in the first step of the Resurrection, which is the new Birth or the Life of Grace on Earth.

Objection. Some that are truly Saints, may now say to us, Alas how are we excluded from the new birth, if they, who are new born, have Heaven, and Paradise in an Heavenly Form brought forth within them, and they themselves, are after an Heavenly manner brought forth into these, as by a Resurrection from the dead? How far are we from discerning any thing so sweet, so great, so Glorious in our selves?

Ans. I shall give five answers to this Objection to comfort the lowest of the Saints, who least of all seem to themselves to be such.

1. The Lord Jesus lay in the Womb, was laid an Infant in the Manger, slept as a man, had all the Light of Heaven, Visible, or invisible withdrawn from him, being deserted by the God-head itself in respect to any sensible presence, assistance, or enjoyment of it, died on the Cross, was shut up a dead Corps in the Grave. Yet in the Womb, in the Manger, in his sleep, in his Desertion, on the Cross, in the Grave, had he Heaven, and Paradise with their divinest sweetnesses, and fulnesses in himself, he himself was after the sweetest, fullest, and Divinest manner in Paradise, and Heaven. For he himself in his own Person is the Light, the Life, and Truth of both. All this was unchangeably true of him even in his Flesh, and in his natural man, when to p. 506him in his Flesh, and in his natural man nothing of this appeared, or seemed to be at all. Thus may it be with thee, O doubting, and mourning Christian, who weepest for that life of the Spirit, which hath Heaven, and Paradise in it by having Jesus Christ risen from the dead in it. Thou refusest to be comforted, because these are not, or rather appear not in thee. But consider this, and be comforted. Cast thy eye upon thy Pattern the Lord Jesus, and then say; Christ with Heaven and Paradise may be in me. I may be in Heaven, and in Paradise by being in Christ, though this appear not to me. Christ may be in me, I may be in Christ in the Womb, or in the Manger, in a deep sleep, or a desertion upon the Cross, or in the Grave. But in Truth by all these, Heaven and Paradise with all their Divine store, and furniture, rise up in me so much the more Gloriously, by how much the more Christ is formed in me, and I am conformed to Christ.

2. Ans. Jesus Christ in the Gospel compareth the Kingdom of Heaven, or of God, to a seed of wheat sown in the field, which cometh up first in the Blade, then in the Stalk, then in the Ear, and lastly in the Ripe Corn in the Ear. Why dost thou sigh, O Believer, and say, that thou hast nothing of Christ, of Heaven, of Paradise risen from the dead, and new-born in thee, because they shine not forth in thee, and they take not thee in to see them, to be seen by them, to converse with them in their Spiritual, proper, eternal Forms, and Glories? It may be true, that they may not yet be sprung up in thee like the ripe corn in the ear in the Ripeness, and maturity of their own Spirituality, and of the Heavenly Image. Yet may they flourish in the Ear, that is, in a high and sweet Figure of Spirituality according to the purest letter of the Gospel, which may have the Spirit itself for a hidden life in it, and ready to reveal itself, as the perfect Fruit. But suppose thou hast not attained to this, yet sing for Joy; the Spring and the Summer Season are come; Harvest is not far off; if the Kingdom of God, which is Christ, Heaven, Paradise all in one, and all in a Heavenly Glory be come up in thee into a Green and Living stalk. Perhaps thou art yet subject to the Ministry of the Law. Rejoyce in this, if it Spring from the Seed of Promise, if it flourish by the Virtue, and Life of this Seed forming itself into this stalk, although it lie vailed there. This living Stalk, this living Ministry of the Law, hath not only an outward Glory, and Lustre upon it, but the inward Glory of the Spiritual Kingdom within it, which sends forth this outward Life, and Lustre, which will itself also in its proper season sprout forth from it.

Dost thou fall short of this also, dost thou see nothing in thy self of Letter or Spirit, of Law or Gospel, in any clearness of Life, or Power, by which thou canst make any comfortable Judgment of thy self; Are not these mournings of thine, that sence, those impressions, those desires, affections, endeavours, p. 507the causes and companions of these mournings, which come up so thick in the ground of thy Spirit by day, and by night; are not these that Kingdom of God, that Jesus with Heaven, and Paradise in the midst of thee, before thine eyes, as in the Blade, or the Herb, which can hardly be discerned, or distinguished from common grass, by common eyes? In the mean time thou like Mary complainest, that Christ is taken away from thee, when he standeth before thee risen from the dead, and talketh with thee though vailed under the form of a Gardener.

But let it be that no green things appears in the field of thy Soul▪ it is naked, cold, and hard, like the Earth in Winter. Yet mourn not as one without hope. This naked ground may be a flourishing field of Corn in the Summer time. This naked and hard heart of thine may in its proper Season soften, and flourish into an Heavenly Paradise by the springing up of Christ in it. For even now in this disconsolate & desolate state, may God the Father, and the Holy Angels from on high have their eye with Love, and delight upon it from one end of the year to the other, as seeing Heaven and Paradise with all their own Joys and Excellencies treasured up there in their seed, which is Christ, sown in thee.

3. Ans. The Heavenly Image in thee, who art born again, while thou livest on Earth, is subject to various Clouds, and Storms. It is always in a conjunction with the fleshly Image and the Spirit of the Devil. These never suffer it to shine forth clearly, and purely. These often so cloud it, and captlvate it, that it can send forth no one sweet beam or spark to enlighten thee to any sensible discovery of it, or warm thee with any sensible comfort in it. The Law of God, which is the Law of the Spirit of Life, in which Spirit the Heaven, and Paradise of a Saint are seated, is within in the inward man, in the mind. But the Law of Sin, which is the Spirit of this World, where Death, Hell and the Devil, have their place, and their Thro…e, is still manifest and Powerful in thy Members, in thy outward man. What wonder then, if thine inward Man, like the Face of Heaven, and of an Heavenly Paradise with the Lord Jesus in his Spiritual Glory shining in them, as the Sun in its purity and strength, be discerned by thee very weakly, and uncertainly, when they are to be seen thorough so thick, so polluted, so troubled an Air of the natural Spirit in thy Members? Nay what wonder is it, if from the Morning of thy Life to the Evening of it, such blackness of darkness cover the whole Face, of these beautiful, and Heavenly things in thee, that they appear not at all to thee, although they constantly shine in the same Glory, and move in the same order in themselves, to themselves within thee; when as such Powers of Darkness have their seat in thine outward Man, thorough which they are to appear.

p. 5084. Ans. Thou perhaps, O afflicted Soul, with the eye of Sense, and of Reason, by the Light of thine own Spirit, lookest to see the Kingdom of God with its Joys, and Glories, and Glorious Inhabitants in thee. But these are Spiritual things, and to be discerned Spiritually. They are Spiritual Senses, which alone can take in the Divine sweetnesses, and Beauties of this Spiritual Paradise, and Heaven. It is the Light of the Spirit alone, in which they shine forth and appear. It is the Breath of the Spirit alone, which makes their Spices to flow forth, and give their smells. Thou O dejected Soul! mayest have thy Spiritual senses yet weak: Like a new-born Child thou mayest behold, and gaze upon the Light of the Heavenly Sun, and yet not understand, what that is, which thou seest, or that thou seest any thing at all. Again, the Spirit is free, he breaths, and gives his Light, where he pleaseth, when he pleaseth, and in what degree he pleaseth. The Garden of God may be in thee, thou mayest be in the midst of this Garden, and yet not aware of it, because it is either a dark Season, where nothing appears, or a twilight of the Spirit only, where the Flowers, and Plants of this Garden appear, like little Clouds, or dark spots undistinguished.

5 Ans. There are three ways, by which the new Birth or the Resurrection from the dead evidenceth itself to the Soul. 1. The Seal of the Spirit. 2. The Witness of the Spirit. 3. A Spiritual Instinct.

1. The Seal of the Spirit is the clearest, and compleatest evidence. Of this you read Eph. 1. v 13. You are sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise. The Spirit himself, in his own person was the Promise, and is the Seal. St. John 14. v. 20. Jesus Christ in that Chapter promiseth the Spirit, which he would send down, when he was ascended, to be in them. He calleth this Spirit the Spirit of Truth, and the Comforter. Together with the promise of the Spirit he promiseth them, that he would come again to them, and that they should see him, and have Joy, and that none should take this Joy from them; because they should never more lose the sight of him. He promiseth likewise that at that day of the Spirit his Father, and himself would come together, and sup with them, and lodge with them. The rich, and glorious ground of all this sweet mystery of the Divine Love, and Fellowship between the Father, and Christ, and the Spirit, and the Saints in the Spirit, at the coming of the Spirit is this: 1. The blessed Person of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity is the beautiful band of that sweet, and sacred Union, in which the two other Persons the Father, and the Son most nakedly, most entirely at the utmost heighth of their Beauties, and Loves, possess and enjoy each other. The same Person of the Spirit in the mystical, and Marriage Union between Christ, and the Soul, is that sweet, and sacred Unity, by the Virtue p. 509of which the Father, Christ, and a Saint in the Purity, and Perfection of all Heavenly sweetnesses, and excellencies behold, love, and take Pleasure in each other, as one Spirit. By this you may see how the Spirit is the Promise, and the Seal and what this Seal of the Spirit means.

The Lord Jesus fully expresseth it in the verse mentioned: At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. This day is the day of the Spirit, the day of the Spirits coming into the Soul, and appearing there. In the Revelation of this third Person the Holy Spirit, when he shines forth in the Spirit of a Saint; the Father, Christ, and a Saint are all seen together in one Glory, the Glory of the Father; in the Fellowship, and Unity of this Spirit, which is the Spirit of Glory. This Union, and this Vision takes the Saint up into itself, fixeth itself in a Saint, displayeth itself there by the immediate Brightness, and Glory of that Heavenly Person, the Spirit himself which is the Spirit of Truth. This is the Seal of the Spirit; this is the Banner of Love. Thus he sets himself as a Seal upon the Heart of his spouse, thus he spreads himself, as a Banner of Love over her head in his Banqueting-house. How clearly in this Day, in this Vision, and Unity of the Spirit doth the Beloved Spouse of Christ see Heaven and Paradise, ten thousand Heavens and Paradises, new-born, and risen within herself; herself new-born, and risen into the midst of them, and enjoying them all?

Dost thou mourn, O dejected Soul, that thou hast not received this Seal of the Spirit? Alas! how few have? How hath this Seal been withdrawn, since the Nations of the World received the mark of Anti-Christ? Mourn thou together with all the Saints, for the absence of the Heavenly Bridegroom in this Vision of his Glory, and Seal of his Love. But mourn not as without Hope. Press forward to this Day of the Spirit, and to the Brightness of the rising of the Lord Jes…s together with the Father upon thy Soul in the Person of the Spirit, which is the Union of all Loves, Joys, and Glories, as all Lights are United in the Sun. This Day hath already dawned, some few have seen the dawnings of it, and rejoyced to see it, when it hath shone forth upon the tops of their Spirits, as the Sun in the pleasant morning of a Summers-day gilds the Tops of the Mountains.

2. The Second Evidence is the Witness of the Spirit. Of this Paul speaketh Rom. 8. v. 16. The Spirit itself beareth Witness in our Spirit, that we are the Children of God. This Witness of the Spirit may be more interrupted, and be accompanied in the Soul with less Glory, and a less triumphant Joy; yet is it clear, and sweet, and sure; although the p. 510clearness, and the sweetness have their different degrees. The Witness of the Spirit is as tho Voice of God in the Soul received, and ecchoed to by the Soul. The Seal of the Spirit is the Glorious Face of God unvailed in the Soul, and by the kiss of its mouth Uniting it to the Soul, so that it stamps its own Heavenly Image upon the Soul, and Ravishing the Soul into one Life, and Form of Glory with itself becomes its own Reflection there, equally embracing, and embraced, enjoying, and enjoyed in the Unity of the Spirit.

Thou, who feest not the Seal of the Spirit upon thy heart, open thy Spiritual Ear, hearken unto the voice of the Spirit, hearken to the voice of thine own Spirit. These two by a sweet Consent, and Harmony may testifie together the Love of God in thee. Their voice may be low, and not to be heard in the Tumult, and noise of thy Fears, and Doubts. In the calmness, quietness, and rest of a meek, and resigned Spirit, hearken diligently, and thou mayest hear this low voice. Though this voice be low, yet is it clear and sweet. The Love, and Peace, and Joy of the Spirit, the Spirit of Love, Peace, and Joy himself are in this low voice.

3. The third Evidence is the Instinct of the Spirit, which seems to be mentioned by St. Paul, as a less degree of Evidence going before that of the Witness of the Spirit. Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby ye Cry Abba Father. The little Lamb newly yeaned, and come forth from the Dam in a great flock amongst many Lambs, and Ews knoweth its own Dam, discerneth its call from all others, runneth to it, keepeth by its side, when it is in any fear, seeketh and sucketh its Milk, and the nourishment of its Life from it. This is the Instinct of Nature, which faileth not the Births of Nature. Thus every Child of God hath much more a Spiritual, and Divine Instinct, which is inseparable from the Divine Nature in it. The Spirit of God in it, when the Light of the Divine Nature is most obscured, is a Spirit of Son-ship, or Childhood in the Soul by secret Impressions leading it, inclining, and carrying it to God, as its Father, giving it a secret sense, and discerning of the Voice of God, and of its Relation to God, as by the instinct of the Divine Nature. Consider this, ye doubting, fearful, and distressed Saints; consider this, and be comforted. Thou hast no clear sight of the Face of God. Thou hast no clear Testimony of the Love of God in thy Spirit. Thou hast no distinct understanding of thy Union with God, or of the Nature of God, or of the things of God. Thou hast no Evidences, by which thou canst satisfy thy own Reason, thorow any discourse of Reason. But thou art inwardly carryed in thy desires, and inclinations to God, to please him, to be with him. Thy Soul secretly hangs upon God, and p. 511cleaveth to him. Thou inwardly longest, and thirstest to suck in from his Breasts the milk of Spiritual Life, Comfort, and Light. In the day of thy fears, and distress thine Eye looketh to God, thine Heart cryeth, and hasteth to him. The call, the voice of God in his Providences, his Word, and the inward motions of his Spirit touch thine Heart, and turn thy Bowels within thee. How often in the greatest doubts, and distresses of thy Spirit dost thou sigh forth to God the name of Father? Behold this is the instinct of the Divine Nature in thee. This is the Spirit of Adoption, by which thou art acted, and by which thou cryest Abba Father. Although thou understandest it no more, than the Lamb understandeth how, or why it is carryed to its Dam, and drawn by its bleatings. Go thy way then, and be no more troubled, give thy self up to the instinct, and leadings of this holy Spirit within thee. Thou shalt certainly see the time, when the obscure smoak of the Spiritual Instinct in thee will break up into a clear Light, and flame of a Joy unspeakable, and Glorious, both in the Testimony of the Spirit heard within thee, and the Seal of the Spirit seen upon thee, either in this Life, or in Eternity.

We read in the 2 of Chron. That Solomons Throne had a Foot-stool of Gold, and six steps up to the Throne. On each side of these steps were two Lyons, that supported every step. Thou, who hast the Throne of the Divine Nature in the midst of the Spiritual Paradise, and Heaven set up within thee in its obscurest, and lowest state, rest in peace, and joy on the Foot-stool itself, and upon the lowest step of this Throne. For the Foot-stool itself, the lowest state is of Gold, of an incorruptible, and Divine Nature, which will certainly in its proper time lift thee up to the full height, and Glory of the Throne itself. The lowest step here, even at the highest, hath for its support, and guard, two Lyons. The Lord Jesus, the true Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in all the Varieties, and Riches of his Spiritual Glories, multiplies his Presence, and Appearance round about thee, to sustain, defend, and cherish thee in these first beginnings of Grace in thee, in the midst of thy darkness, and weakness after the same manner, in the same Heavenly Person of his, in the same fulness of Love Power, and Glory, as he is with the highest Saints.

When we began to speak of this first step of the Resurrection, or new Birth, we propounded four Heads to treat upon. 1. The Life, which is risen. 2. The Death, out of which it riseth. 3. The Resurrection itself. 4. The way of this Resurrection. We have finished our discourse upon three of these. We are now to speak briefly of the last.

4. The way of the Resurrection in the new birth is Jesus Christ. He p. 512saith of himself in the Gospel of St. John, I am the Way. Jesus Christ is the way of this Resurrection in six Steps. 1. He is the Price. 2. The Head. 3. The Root. 4. The Pattern. 5. The Companion. 6. The Life of this Resurrection.

1. The Blood of Christ is the Price of this Resurrection. Jesus Christ by his Blood hath doubly redeemed us from Death. 1. By Purchase giving his Life a Ransom for us to the Divine Justice. 2. By Conquest having by the effusion of his Blood, and loss of his Life gained a perfect Victory over all the Powers of Darkness.

2. The Lord Jesus above in Heaven is the Head of the Resurrection from the Dead. In the latter part of the first of Eph. we have Jesus Christ gloriously presented unto us in his Resurrection, from the nethermost part of the Earth, and in his Ascent above all Heavens. Then the Apostle concludes that discourse and Chapter with this Blessed Consolation, that God had given him in this Glory of the Resurrection from the Dead to be the Head over all things to his Church. Thou who mou…nest over thy sins, as the worst of Deaths, who doubtest, who despairest of Life, raise thy self to a lively Hope. Look up, and see thy self already risen in his Resurrection, already set down in Heavenly Places together with Christ, as a Glorious Spirit in that first Spirit, the Head, and Fountain of them all, from which they are as Inseparable as the Beams in their upper ends are from the Sun. Thus St. Paul speaks in the former part of the 2d Chap. of the Eph. upon that Divine Ground, which he had laid in the end of the first Chapter, That Christ in his Resurrection from the Dead, is the Head over all to his Church.

3. The Lord Jesus, as he is risen from the Dead by his Spiritual Presence in our Hearts, is the root of the Resurrection, or new Birth in us. 1 Corin. 15. Jesus Christ, as he is the second Adam, is said to be a quickning Spirit; and the living corner Stone precious, and tryed in his Death, and precious in his Resurrection, out of which we grow up to be a Temple to God, that is, both a Spiritual Heaven, and a Spiritual Paradise. Eph. 3. He is said to dwell in our Hearts by Faith. The Lord Jesus is that Spirit, which is the Root of all Spirits, natural, or supernatural; the Root of all Life, Natural, and Spiritual; Earthly or Heavenly; Humane, Angelical, or Divine. Dost thou feel the weight of Death heavy upon thee? hast thou no sense of any spark of true Life in thee to sweeten either Death, or Life to thee? Look up to thy Root at the bottom of thy Spirit, thy Jesus. Abide in this Root, wait for this Root. Here are all p. 513the Treasures of Spiritual Life laid up. At the set time, in the proper season this Root shall spring, and bud, and blossom, and bring forth it's heavenly Fruits replenished with the Light, and sweetness of the Divine Life and spreading themselves thorow thy whole Soul. Thus shall that Life of God, which thou hast lost, which in thy death retired itself hither into its Root, rise again in thee, and thou be new-born into this Life. Thus shall Jesus Christ, as an Heavenly Root in thy Heart, bring forth himself unto the Life of Faith, which is his own Heavenly Image in thee within the Vail, the Cloud of Flesh. Thus doth he make thine heart from this Root of Eternity to be an Heavenly Habitation, and dwelling place for himself raised up new, and Eternal out of the Ruines of Death.

4. Our blessed Saviour is the Pattern of the Resurrection to us. In the 8th of the Rom. we are said to be predestinated to be conformed to his Image. Eph. 1. God is spoken of as working Faith, and so bringing forth the Spiritual Life in us according to that exceeding greatness of his Power, by which he raised Christ from the Dead. We read in the Gospel, that a mighty Angel came down from Heaven, and rolled away the Stone from the mouth of the Grave, while the Watchmen about the Grave were cast into a deep sleep, to make way for the rising of Christ. How frequently doth the Soul, which feels the horrour of the Spiritual Death, think its Resurrection to a Divine Life, to the Heavenly Graces, and sweet Peaces of that Life, impossible? Alass! the Flesh is as a Grave, in which it is shut up. Its Lusts, and Temptations are, as a mighty Stone rolled upon the mouth of this Grave. Tempters visible and invisible are, as Watchmen round about the Grave, to keep thee there. But be not discouraged at any of these things, O thou disconsolate Soul! Look to thy Pattern, the Lord Jesus; as it was with him; so shall it be with thee. A supernatural Power, a mighty Angel from Heaven shall bind up thy Tempters, thy Spiritual Enemies in chains of Darkness, as in a deep sleep; shall remove the great Stone, the most powerful Lusts, and Temptations from the mouth of thy Grave. God himself in his Power, in the greatness of his Power, as it excelleth, and transcendeth all Powers, all things, all thoughts of men, or Angels; God himself in his Almightiness, in the infiniteness of his Power, and God-head, God himself in the immediate naked, most potent, most high, most Glorious Appearances, and Operations of his God-head shall come down upon thee, shall arise, and shine in thee, and as he riseth, raise thee together with himself into the Light of Life. Whil'st thou lyest in Sin, thy true Person, or Life lie together dead in thee, as to thee, But beneath thy Soul, at the bottom of it they lie hid in God, who is the ground of every natural being, and the Treasury p. 514of all Spiritual Beings. At the season of the new birth God discocovers himself in thy Soul, as a glorious ground, out of which thy Life, and thy Jesus spring up together by degrees, like Twin-lillies, Roses from the same stalk or root, which is Christ. Thus shalt thou rise from the Dead with a shout of Heavenly Joys.

5. Christ is the Companion in the Resurrection. St. Paul tells the Galatians, he travels in birth again with them, till Christ be formed in them. We read 1 Corin. 6. He, that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit. A saint and Christ are one Spirit by a Spiritual Marriage, which makes two Spirits perfectly one, yet so, that they remain perfectly, and distinctly two in one. When thou risest from the dead in Regeneration, thy Jesus riseth together with thee out of that Grave in thy Heart, into which thou hast cast him by thy Sin at the Fall, when thou in thy true Life, and Paradise in thee fell into the same Grave together with him. Jesus Christ, and the Soul spring up together in the first Creation as Twins. For St. John saith in his first Chapter of his Gospel, that without him, that is, in a single state disjoyned from Christ, was nothing made, that was made; Christ and the Soul, like two Twin-lillies, flourished together in Paradise. Together they died by the Fall. Many times since thy birth into this world have Jesus Christ, and with him that Beautiful, and Blessed Life, which thou enjoyed'st in Paradise, been rising again into thy Heart into a more excelling Paradise, that in the Spirit, and in Heaven, which is Eternal. But alass! thou hast still thrown them back again into the same Grave in thy flesh by the new wounds, which thy renewed Lusts, and Unbelief have given them. Notwithstanding all this, when the set time is come, nothing can withstand the rising in thee. Jesus Christ, and thy Soul are together born anew in thee from the womb of Eternal Love, where they lay hid, and wrapt up together in the Grave itself. They now come up together in one Spirit into one Spiritual Life, and Heavenly Image, in which Paradise also comes up new and fresh together with them. By the same immediate, and glorious operation of the God-head they break irresistibly forth thorow the darknesses of the night, and scatters them, and breaks them up, as it shines thorow them. How blessed is this Union and Fellowship! Christ and the Soul ever undivided, grow up now together in the mutual sight, in the mutual embraces of each other thorow every state and degree of the Regeneration, or Resurrection, Light, or Darkness; Solaces or Sufferings; Life, or Death. In all by the Heavenly Union they are mutually a Crown of rejoycing one to another.

p. 5156. Christ is the Life of this Resurrection. So himself testi…ieth in the 11 of St. John; I am the Resurrection, and the Life. How sure, how sweet is thy Life, O Believer, who art risen from the Death of Sin, and born again to thine Heavenly Father? Thy Life is sure. It is Christ himself, the Power, God, eternal Life itself, who is thy Life, the Life of thy Grace… here, the Living Hope of Glory in Heaven, the Life of God in thee which never dies in the midst of Death. Thy Life is sweet, O Believer! How unexpressible is this pleasure to feel Jesus Christ himself, the only delight of the Father in Eternity, the only Delight of all the Holy Angels, and Glorified Saints in Heaven springing up in thy Heart, flowing thorow thy whole Soul, and Person, working in all, acting all, as Life in thee?

Thus I have finished this fourth Head, the way of the Resurrection in its first step, the Regeneration, or New-birth, and the discourse itself upon this subject.

FINIS.